Click on the drop-down box that says General Keyword – note that you can change to an author, title or subject search (general keyword searches ALL of these combined).

Click inside the box to the right of the one above, and type in the words for what you want, in any order.

Click on GO If only one item appears, then you can find its shelf location at the bottom of the screen (you may have to scroll down). If your search was limited to Haverhill, and more than one item appears, then the shelf location, status (checked in, checked out, in transit, etc.) and format (book, video, CD, etc,) will be listed under each item.

You may click on any blue-highlighted title in a list, to see a more complete description of the item and to locate copies owned at other MVLC libraries.

If the item you are looking for is not owned by the Haverhill library, or is listed as ‘checked out’, you may request the item.

Note – there are other ways to search, and to customize searches, using iPAC

Use this searching method when you want to see an alphabetical list of titles, authors, or subjects from which to pick something that you want.

Community Information Database

Search this database for brief information on local nonprofit and community service organizations. Information includes name address and phone number of the organization, and what their purpose and services are.

Expanded Search

An advanced search tool that allows you to do very sophisticated searches, including limiting your search by date of publication.

General Search

Allows you to narrow your search by language or format (video, book-on-tape, etc.)

Log Out

For security purposes, remember to log out of your Patron Info screen when you are done viewing it in the library.

Patron Info

Click on this button when you want to view information about your account at the library. View a list of books you have out, fines that are due, etc. You’ll need to enter your library card number and PIN # to access this information.

PIN #

Your PIN # is the last four digits of your phone number. See a librarian if you want to change this, or if your PIN # does not let you into your Patron Info.

Quick Search

This search method will usually save you time. To look for an item, type in any author, title, or subject words that you know.

Request Title

Click on this when you want to request a title that is not on the shelf in Haverhill. The title will be picked off the shelf by another MVLC library, and shipped quickly to Haverhill. You will be notifed when it arrives.

Status

The status of a book is whether it is checked out, checked in, on order, etc.

MasterFILE Premier – Provides full text for nearly 1,880 periodicals covering nearly all subjects including general reference, business, health, and much more.

Health Source: Consumer Edition – Search for information on many health topics including the medical sciences, food sciences and nutrition, childcare, sports medicine and general health. Disclaimer: Information provided in this database should not be viewed as a means for self-diagnosis or a substitute for professional medical advise, diagnosis or treatment.

Primary Search – Provides full text for over 50 children’s magazines and over 100 children’s pamphlets, designed for the elementary school student.

Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia – Provides over 25,000 encyclopedic entries. Searchable by subject or keywords within the entry.

EBSCO Animals – Provides in-depth information on a variety of topics relating to animals. The database consists of indexing, abstracts, and full text records describing the nature and habitat of familiar animals.

Newspaper Source – Provides full text for 159 regional U.S. newspapers, eighteen international newspapers, six newswires, and nine newspaper columns, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Los Angeles Times.

Hoover’s Company Capsules – Provides basic information on more than 13,500 public and private companies. This data includes addresses, phone and fax numbers, names of key officers, sales and employment figures and stock symbols.

Hoover’s Company Profiles – Provides access to detailed profiles for 3,400 public and private companies in the U.S. and around the world.

Informe is the first reference database to provide indexing, full text, and images of the most popular Hispanic magazines. It also includes full text pamphlets on a variety of topics, such as health care.

Contemporary Authors – Provides complete biographical and bibliographical information and references on approximately 100,000 U.S. and international authors.

Contemporary Literary Criticism – An extensive collection of critical essays on contemporary authors. Each CLC–Select entry contains a biographical/critical introduction, listing of principal works, and sources for further study.

General Reference Center (Magazine Index) – Use this general interest database to search magazines, reference books, and newspapers for information on current events, popular culture, the arts and sciences, sports, etc.

General BusinessFile ASAP – Use this database to research all business and management topics. Includes directory listings for over 150,000 companies as well as investment analysts’ reports on major companies and industries.

OneFile – A new single electronic resource that provides access to more than 3000 full-text periodical titles. Periodical content covers general interest magazines, academic journals, business and technology publication, law journals, and health care periodicals. Also included are five newspaper indexes, and indexing to another 3000 titles. In addition, you’ll find 89 newswire services from all over the world.

Predicasts PROMT – Overview of Markets and Technology. Use this database to research companies, the products and technologies they produce, and the markets in which they compete. Includes summaries and full text from nearly 1,000 business and trade journals, industry newsletters, newspapers, market research studies, news releases, and investment and brokerage firm reports.

The Dialog@CARL Basic Collection provides access to over 250 databases in numerous areas including full-text access to many newspapers such as the Boston Globe. For a complete list of newspapers, visit http://dialog.carl.org/basiclist.html.

Look for a “Help” command somewhere at the site. It shows you how to search more effectively at that site.

When doing ‘keyword’ searches:

Use the connector ‘AND’ between your search terms unless you are searching a phrase (i.e. search for “violence AND television” or the phrase “Tibetan buddhism”)

Use a truncation symbol (usually * ) to search for all forms of a word (i.e. type photograph* to search for photograph, photographs, photography and photographers – all at the same time)

Try using different words for the same subject and search them together with ‘OR’ in the middle (i.e. pharmacy OR drugstore)

If you find too little, try broadening your search in one of the following ways:

Remove one of the words from your search. If you are using too many terms, you might be restricting the search too much.

Look for misspellings in the terms you have entered.

Change one of the terms to a broader term. For example, replace “peer counseling” with “counseling.”

Change an acronym to the full name of an organization. For example, replace “NAPWA” with “National Association of People with AIDS.”

If you find too much – try narrowing your search in one of the following ways:

Make your wording more specific. For example, use “navy fighters” instead of “military aircraft.”

Add another word. For example, if you are searching for the word “baseball,” you are likely to find too many results. Limit the search by entering another word to your search, i.e. search “coaching baseball.”